Steering wheel and the method of making same



Nov. 9,1926. 1,606,579

C. W. JOHNSON STEERING WHEEL AND THE METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed April 13, 1925 Patented Nov. 9, i926.

hearse htdtaiid series.

CARL W. JGHNSON, 0F ROYAL OAK, IEICEIGAII, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LGUIS A.

ZOGGAS, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

STEERING WHEEL AIME) THE METEGD OF WEARING SA'ME.

Application filed April 13, 1925. Serial No. 22,695.

This invention relates to a steering wheel and to the method of making the same. The construction of this wheel and the method is more particularly adapted to an allwood or fibre wheel, which is now most universally used in the higher priced cars. But obviously it could be made of metal or other compositions as well.

It has for its object the construction of wheel which may be more rigidly constructed to decrease the tendency of the spider and rim from becoming loose. The construction lends itself also to a more easy assembly which enables the manufacturer to assemble the spider and rim together more quickly and also to allow him more leeway in his clearances, thereby making it unnecessary to work to close dimensions in building his original rough product. After the same has been finished and trued up to the dimensions the wheel to all outward appearances is identical with the wheels now in the market, and besides is a better and more rigid prod not.

One of the main advantages in construct ing a wheel with my construction is that it enables the manufacturer to make agreat saving in the amount of material. necessary for tne spider, as it eliminates a much larger percentage of waste.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of a steering wheel, constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the spider in the process of being assembled to the rim.

Fig. 8 is asection on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective View of the key or wedge incorporated in the spider.

My steering wheel comprises a rim a which is provided with a plurality of ecesses 5 opening to the inside of the rim. These recesses may be of any shape, though I have chosen to illustrate the same in this application as being concave, but obviously a l-shaped or rectangular shaped groove would serve the purpose equally as well.

The spider is made of a plurality of arms 0 which are provided with the head (3. the ends of which are adapted to seat in the several recesses carried by the rim. These arms 0 all extend radially inwardly and would naturally all meet at the center.

It is the practice in the present wheels to have these arms'meet on a line. They are then glued or otherwise secured together and then assembled to the rim by notching out, pockets in the rim and laying the spider therein, after which blocks are laid in the pockets over the spider arms and glued thereon to hold the spider arms in place.

In my construction I provide the inserts d which are in the form of tapered and grooved keys or wedges. the arms are out so as to permit these inserts to be forced between the face oi any two adjacent arms. When these inserts are wedged between the arms they naturally force the arms outwardly and project the heads (Z carried thereby in the recesses Z) in the rim. The outer end of these arms may be secured to the rim by gluing, or other means, which would prevent the arms from becoming loose from the rim. The inserts, however, securely lock the arms in place.

By observing Fig. 1 one will notice that these inserts (Z replace a portion of the spider arms near the center where the arms converge to form the hub of the wheel. By using these inserts it is obvious that the manufacturer makes a. great saving in material as he can cut his arms from a blank of less width than would be necessary it the inner arms were extended to meet on the 45 line, A-A-BB. This is quite an item in the manufacture of steering wheels as the wood used for the same is usually a hard wood, such as black walnut, which is very expensive. The elimination of any of the waste entailed in forming these arms will amount to considerable in the production of a large number of wheels.

To assemble the spider to the rim I first take the arms 0 and set the same so that the outer end or the arms project into the recesses Z). I can then insert in the opening 6 (Fig. 2 at the center of the wheel, a tapered arbor or other tool, which when driven home, will tightly force the arms into the recesses b, and due to the glue or other adhe sive material in these recesses, the arms are stuck tl'ierein. The tapered keys or wedges d may now be driven between the inner or adjacent faces of said arms, the tapered construction also exerting a force radially outwardly on the arms, and when these inserts or keys are in place, the arms are prevented from moving inwardly and becoming loose in the recesses in the rim. The wheel is now The inner ends or" finished and sanded to provide a wheel as illustrated in Fig. l. The joints between the inserts and the arms are smoothed down, and when the same are stained and varnished these joints can hardly be perceived. To additionally strengthen the spider the grain of the wood in the inserts may be crossed with the grain of the wood in the arms, i. e., the grain of wood would run transversely of the insert while it runs longitudinally in the arms.

These inserts or keys may be grooved as at f along their tapered face, the face of the adjacent arms being correspondingly grooved so as to permit the keys, when once driven in between the arms, from slipping sideways. Obviously these grooves could be of any shape and could be one in number, or a plurality, as I have shown in the drawings.

One'of the'main advantages of a wheel constructed in thismanner is that it eliminates a step in the manufacture, namely, the inserting of the plug in the pocket (5 for securing the spider to the rim after the outer ends of the spider rims are dropped into these pockets. Not only does my construction make a great saving by eliminating this operation, but it makes a better product as the rim does not have these plugs which are very liable to become loose in time and permit the rim to be disconnected from the spider. In addition, the manufacturer must out these pockets very carefully so that the spider arms fit closely therein with a minimum amount of clearance in order to prevent any play between the arms and the rim. In my construction my arms are driven into the recesses carried by the rim until the arms are seated firmly therein. This is an obvious advantage, as

if one recess is a little deeper than the others 7 the arm is driven in slightly further and when the wheel is finished and sanded during the final operation, the fact that one arm is longer than the other cannot be perceived. My construction eliminates all necessity of this additional operation in securing'the spider arms to the rim which is sometimes done by plugging, as I have described, or by bolting the arm'to the rim.

hat I claim is:

'1. In a wheel construction, the combination of a rim provided with recesses, a

spider having inflexible extensional arms arranged to be spread apart and seated and secured in said recesses.

Q in a wheelconstruction, the combination of a rim provided with a plurality of recesses opening only to the inside of the rim, and a spider having inflexible extensional arms arranged to be spread apart and seated ant. secured in said recesses and keyed to each other at the center.

3. In a wheel construction, the combina' tion of a rim provided with recesses, a spider having inflexible extensional arms the outer ends of which, are adapted to be engaged in said recesses, and means for forcing said arms into said recesses carried by the rim to seat and secure the same together.

i. In a wheel construction, the combinaproach each other at the center, and inserts arranged to be wedged between the arms for spreading the same at the center and exerting an outwardly radial pressure on said arms to lock the same in said recesses.

6. In a wheel construction, the combination of a rim provided with recesses, a spider having extensional arms extending radially and adapted to seat in said recesses, and tapered keys arranged to be driven between said arms for exerting an outwardly radial pressure on said arms to expand the same for seating the arms in the recesses and locking the same therein.

7. In a wheel construction, the combination of a rim provided with recesses, a spider provided with extensional arms adapted to seat in said recesses, and inserts positioned between the said arms for the purpose of spreading the same and locking the arms in said recesses, the said inserts and adjacent face of the arms provided with a dove-tailed connection for locking the inserts in place.

8. In a wheel construction, the combination of a rim provided with recesses, a spider having extensional armsarrangedto be seated in said recesses, and means for keying said arms together at the center and for spreading said arms to seat the same in said recesses.

In testimony whereof I have ar'lixed my signature.

CARL W. JOHNSON. 

